One-time pad Encryption key Distribution

• US 6,868,495 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Open Security Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Glover, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi T.
• Application Number:
  US09/621,187
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150, 713/161, 713/165, 713/189, 713/193, 713/200, 713/201, 380/277, 705/57, 705/58
• US Class Current: 713/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/126 Interacting with the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0656 Pseudorandom key sequence combined element-for-element with data sequence, e.g. one-time-pad [OTP] or Vernam's cipher
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06

Abstract

Some of these problems with digital information protection systems may be overcome by providing a mechanism which allows a content provider to encrypt digital information without requiring either a hardware or platform manufacturer or a content consumer to provide support for the specific form of corresponding decryption. This mechanism can be provided in a manner which allows the digital information to be copied easily for back-up purposes and to be transferred easily for distribution, but which should not permit copying of the digital information in decrypted form. In particular, the encrypted digital information is stored as an executable computer program which includes a decryption program that decrypts the encrypted information to provide the desired digital information, upon successful completion of an authorization procedure by the user. In combination with other mechanisms that track distribution, enforce royalty payments and control access to decryption keys, the present invention provides an improved method for identifying and detecting sources of unauthorized copies. Suitable authorization procedures also enable the digital information to be distributed for a limited number of uses and/or users, thus enabling per-use fees to be charged for the digital information.

Claims

1. A method for using a one-time pad for encryption and decryption, comprising:

a requestor requesting from a computer remote from the requestor a portion of random data from a one-time pad, using a request-specific identifier which will be used by the remote computer to identify said portion of random data;

the requestor receiving the portion of random data;

encrypting data using at least some of the portion of random data, producing encrypted data;

sending the encrypted data and the identifier to a recipient; and

the recipient accessing the remote computer using the identifier to obtain the portion of random data and using the portion of random data to decrypt the encrypted data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

requesting from said remote computer a second amount of random data from said one-time pad, using a second request-specific identifier, different from the first request-specific identifier, which will be used by the remote computer to identify said second amount of random data;

receiving the second amount of random data;

encrypting data using at least some of the second amount of random data, producing second encrypted data;

sending the second encrypted data and the second identifier to a recipient; and

the recipient accessing the remote computer using the second identifier to obtain the second amount of random data and using the second amount of random data to decrypt the second encrypted data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second request-specific identifier includes information defining a process for selecting random data from within said one-time pad.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the requester receiving the portion of random data includes the requestor receiving the request-specific identifier with said portion of random data.

5. A method for using a one-time pad for encryption, comprising:

a requestor requesting from a computer remote from the requestor a portion of random data from a one-time pad, using a request-specific identifier which will be used by the remote computer to identify said portion of random data and includes one or more parameters defining a trajectory for selecting blocks of random data from a multidimensional space associated with random data from said one-time pad;

receiving the portion of random data;

encrypting data using at least some of the portion of random data, producing encrypted data; and

sending the encrypted data and the identifier to a recipient that accesses the remote computer using the identifier to obtain the portion of random data to decrypt the encrypted data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the parameters specifies a random or pseudorandom function.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the parameters is specified in the request.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the parameters specifies a chaotic trajectory.

9. A method for encryption and decryption of source data, comprising:

issuing a request from a requestor to a remote computer for a portion of random data, using a request-specific identifier to be associated by the remote computer with selected random data;

receiving the requested portion of random data;

encrypting source data using the received requested portion of random data, thereby producing encrypted source data; and

sending the encrypted source data and the identifier to a recipient that accesses a computer using the identifier to obtain the associated selected random data and decrypts the encrypted source data using said associated selected random data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request-specific identifier is for use in connection with sending selected source data only.

11. A method for using a one-time pad for encryption, comprising:

requesting from a remote computer an amount of random data from a one-time pad, using an identifier which includes one or more functions defining at least one trajectory for selecting random data from said one-time pad;

receiving the selected random data;

encrypting data using the received random data, producing encrypted data; and

sending the encrypted data and the identifier to a recipient that accesses the remote computer using the identifier to obtain the random data to decrypt the encrypted data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more functions is a random or pseudorandom function.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a trajectory varies with one or more parameters specified in the request.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said trajectories is chaotic.

15. A method for using a one-time pad for encryption, comprising:

a requestor requesting from a computer remote from the requester a portion of random data from a one-time pad, using an identifier which includes one or more parameters defining a process for selecting random data from a space associated with random data of said one-time pad;

receiving the portion of random data obtained by execution of said process;

encrypting data using at least some of the received portion of random data, producing encrypted data; and

sending the encrypted data and the identifier to a recipient that accesses the remote computer using the identifier to obtain the portion of random data to decrypt the encrypted data.